Be Still & Know that I am God

Psalm 46:1-11

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

(Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” )

God is our refuge and our shelter! In other words, he is the shelter we seek in the midst of storms and is the strength we need to weather them. That first scripture speaks volumes to a weary soul and a weakened soul. We know that feeling, being weary and feeling helpless. That feeling has brought thoughts of giving up. When we have anything going on in our life that is exhausting, any situation where we feel weary and weak, or helpless, it is normal for us to encounter thoughts of giving up. Not simply surrendering to the enemy, but giving up. I have thought feelings like this, I have faced incredible challenges where I never saw the way or any way out, but every time, God provides a way. It is more than just being our refuge and strength - God embodies the very space we need to shelter from the storms. His presence in our lives is the power we need to face the enemy. However, there are moments when God seems distant in our lives, and in those moments, we must trust in His strength and not our own. It is in those moments when God feels distant that God is trying to tell us he is closest to us. He has encamped around us. He has not left us or forsaken us. It is not God’s fault that he feels distant; it is our fault. There is something inside us that has allowed unbelief to forment in us and around us.

Ephesians 4:31–32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Colossians 3:13 “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”  

It is when God feels distant that we often turn inward.

A popular scripture is found in Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Trust in the Lord, not in ourselves. We have been going through the first chapter in the book of John, and we see where we are saved only by God, and not by ourselves. Only God can right the wrong. Only God can deliver us through a storm. Only God can strengthen us in the moments we feel helpless and weak. We know that we are powerless but so many times we trust in our power versus the power of God. Elijah brought fire down from the heavens in a feat that proved 850 false prophets wrong. David picked up five smooth stones before his battle with Goliath, trusting God, and refused the armor of King Saul.

That Hebrew word for trouble is [tsarah], which translates to a narrow or tight place where a person is unable to move.

Think of the famous story of the 300 Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae, who stood against the Persian army of 300,000 soldiers. That narrow pass was defended against an enemy horde that sought to destroy that small Spartan force.

We all face situations that are beyond our control, but what my bible is saying is that when trouble strikes, God is present!

When the walls feel like they are closing in around you, God is present.

The Hebrew ‘very’ means [mehode], which reveals the speed when God is present in our battles. In other words, God is exceedingly present. God is speedily present. God is always present.

Psalm 46:2–3 “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

In even the most catastrophic situations in our lives, in the most catastrophic circumstances, my God helps us conquer our fear.

2 Timothy 2:7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Calamities can shake us at our foundation, disasters can force us to take refuge. The psalmist writing this is emphasizing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, how mountains are carried away by the sea, waters roaring and mountains shaking, IOWs - earthquakes or even volcanic eruptions where there is swelling inside.

My bible says “But if God be for us, who can be against us!

My bible says “No weapon formed against me shall prosper!”

God’s promise to me is that regardless of what seems like is world ending - Romans 8:38–39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Tsarah can be sickness or injury, the death of a loved one, marriage problems, rebellion or disobedience by our children, loss of a job, problems with coworkers, conflicts with other people, tsarah can be financial distress, it can be natural disasters, it can be persecution, it can be war and rumors of war, and it can be the nations raging. But my bible says “Nothing can separate me from the love of God. There is power in this promise.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Php_4:13).

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Jos_1:9).

Psalm 46:4–7 “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

The biblical use of river throughout the bible indicates both waters of destruction and rivers of refreshment.

John 7:38 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

In other words, life! A river of refreshment and joy to that glad city of God! Where God is in the midst of her, and God shall help her! She shall not be moved! That same promise to the city of God goes for us, we shall not be moved! That phrase ‘right early’ also means bright tomorrow! Even as the heathen raged, and kingdoms were moved, God uttered his voice and the earth melted. I present that what the world can offer is nothing compared to what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ offers us. He is our alpha and omega, he is the beginning and end. He is the Amen.

We see four beautiful promises:

1. God refreshes us amid our trouble. Because of his unfailing love, he offers us cool, rejuvenating waters of peace and joy.

2. Whatever, happens in our lives, we can rest securely because God lives with us! In the same way that God’s presence literrarly dwelled in the city of Jerusalem, God resides within the believers todaythroug the Holy Spirit!

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Eph_1:13-14).

3. God has given us a gift that is meant to sustain us in times of trouble! The hope of a bright tomorrow! Our dark night of trial will not last forever! The sin will rise in God’s time, our season of suffering will end, and we will bask in the joy of God’s eternal day!!

“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psa_30:5).

4. The Lord of hosts is with us! The greatest commander in chief who commands the heavenly forces will send his angels to protect us and and assist us in times of trouble! Just as the angels ministered unto Jesus after his bout with Satan in the wilderness, the commander of heavenly forces is with us!

Psalm 46:8–9 “Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”

Come and behold! We talked about it last Sunday, that word behold is to percieve, to see, and to understand! Perceive the works of the Lord, what desolations and destructions he has made on the earth. He maketh wars to cease. God is good, he can bring any trouble in your life to a stop by his command.

Scripture says, Ask you shall receive, seek and you shall find, and knock and the door will be open! He breaks the bows, he cuts the spears asunder, he burns the enemies chariots with fire. In other words, whatever weapon and tool the enemy is using against you, God will bring to a halt. “If God is for me, who can be against me!”

Psalm 46:10–11 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Be still and know that I am God. Stop fighting, and striving in your efforts and submit and surrender to God! That submission is meant for us to be still and release our anxiety and rest in Him!

Conclusion:

Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

There comes a moment in every believer’s journey when the noise of the world crescendos—when temptation, fear, and the lies of the enemy roar like lions. But the Almighty does not compete with chaos. He reigns above it. And He whispers not because He is far, but because He is near.

📯 So hear the cry from the Spirit of God today: “Be still!” Not idle. Not indifferent. But still—as in surrendered. Still—as in rooted. Still—as in listening for the thunderous stillness of a holy God who parts seas with His breath. Who with his breath gave us the Ruach!

“When all hell breaks loose, the answer is not found in striving, but in bending low at the foot of the cross.” And I say unto you now—let the cross silence the accuser! Let the blood of Jesus speak louder than condemnation! -DW

“In the stillness, heaven sings. God doesn’t need a storm to get your attention—He prefers a whisper, wrapped in glory.” -RH Still, small voice!

🔥 And here’s the unshakable promise: The yoke of Jesus is not a burden to crush you; it is a bond that anchors you. Where Satan comes to enslave with guilt, Jesus invites you to rest in grace. Where the enemy tempts with heavy chains, Christ offers a yoke—crafted not of iron but of grace, mercy, and truth - bound with cords of love.

Bridge to Victory: So how do we defeat the wiles of the devil? Not by louder words, but by deeper stillness. Not by panic, but by peace. You rest in Christ, and Satan loses his grip. You trust in the finished work of Jesus, and every fiery dart falls powerless. You proclaim, “The Lord is my Shepherd—I shall not want,” and the devil flees not because of your might, but because of your position—hidden in the refuge of the Most High.

🕊️ So be still, and know—not think, not hope, not wonder—KNOW that He is God. And that is enough.

Psalm 46:1–3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble!